Rotary card filing device



April l, 1947- E. E. KNIT-rel. v 2,418,357

ROTARY CARD FILING DEVICE` Filed Nov. 22, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 HullMill April 1,A 1947. E. E. KNITTEL. 2,418,357

ROTARY CARD FILING DEVICE Filed Nov. 22, 1944 2 sheets-sheet 2 PatentedApr. l, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT Aol-FlcE ROTARY CARD FILING DEVICEEmil E. Knittel, Malverne, N. Y.

Application November 22, 1944, Serial No. 564,563

9 claims. 1

This invention relates to devices for filing cards and the like and moreparticularly to rotary illing devices.

It is not uncommon practice in many types of businesses to have a Illingsystem wherein in- |formation, data or records are kept on individualcards. The cards may be used for various purposes and it is customarytoikeep them in a systematic manner in files where they may be referredto conveniently. In some systems it is necessary to remove and replacethe cards from time to time for one purpose or another.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a device for lingsuch cards wherein the cards are carried on a rotatable drum without thenecessity of attaching individual cards to the drum. The cards may befiled in a recess annularly disposed about the periphery of therotatable drum in a manner similar to that of ling in a laterallysliding drawer or box. Even though the drum is rotated, the cards willnot fall away but will be prevented from falling out of the recess by amovable endless belt, one run of which lies adjacent the card receivingrecess..

Although the novel features which are believed to be characteristic ofthe invention will be pointed out-in the claims appended heretoI theinvention itself as to its objects and advantages, and the manner inwhich it may be carried out, may be better understood by reference tothe following description taken in `connection with the accompanyingdrawings forming a part hereof, in which,

Fig. 1 is aside view in elevation of a :filing device embodying theinvention; partly in section and partly broken away to better illustratethe construction; Y

Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the device shown in Fig. 1, with certainparts broken away;

Fig. 3 is a view in elevation of a belt carrying roller which may beused to maintain the endless belt under suitable tension Fig. 4 is asideview of the roller shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a drum;

Fig. 6 is a view to larger scale on line 6-301 Fig. 5; 1

Fig. 7 is a view to larger scale on line 'I-'I of Fig. 5 through one ofthe walls of the annular recess;

Fig. 8 is a View of a partition forming member for the annular recess;

Fig. 9 is a top view of the member shown in Fig. 8;

side view in elevation of the rotary Fig. 10 shows the partition memberexed i'or insertion into the recess, and

Fig. 11 shows a modied from of roller which kmay be used to accommodatea pair of endless elts.

Referring now to the drawings in which like reference characters denotesimilar parts, the device comprises, in general, a rotary drum I0mounted in a frame II to rotate on its axis I2; and an endless belt I3trained over rollers I4, I5, I6 and I 'I.

The frame II and drum I0 may be constructed of sheet metal or othersuitable material, for example, wood, plastic or other material adaptedfor the purpose. The frame comprises side walls i8 and I9, front wall20, rear wall 2|, and a top wall 22 all forming an enclosure cabinet.The top wall 22 has an opening 23 of substantial size to permit asubstantial arc of the drum to extend therethrough and above the topWall 22 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The drum IIl, as shown, comprises two side wall disks 24 and 25 of sheetmetal and a cylindrical ring or band 26 of similar material which issecured to the disks 24 and 25. The drum is mounted on an axle 21 at itscenter. The axle may be mounted in suitable bearings in the side wallsI8 and I9 of the frame and maintained in place by flanges 28 and 29. Theperipheral band 26 comprises a cylindrical portion providing aperipheral surface 30 and has annular depending flanges 3| and 32 whichmay be welded or otherwise suitably secured to the side wall disks 24and 25.

Extending outwardly from the peripheral surface 30 of the cylindricalband 26 of the drum are two annular side Walls 33 and 34. As shown,these annular side walls extend outwardly at substantially right anglesfrom the cylindrical surface 30. They are made integral with the disks24 and 25, but it will -be understood that these side walls may beseparate parts and secured t0 the drum. Thus, the cylindrical surface30, together with the outwardly extending annular side walls 33 and 34provide an annular recess 31 about the periphery of the drum. The widthand depth of the recess will be determined by the size' ofthe cardsintended to be led on the drum.

If desired, the outer annular edges of the sheet metal side walls 33 and34 may be bent outwardly in the form of a semicircle to provideconvenient hand-hold rims or hand wheels 35 and 3B which may be readilylgrasped to facilitate manual rotation of the drum I0 upon its axis I2.

To provide individual boxes or compartments v 3 38 in the annular recess31 and to'provide supports for cards mounted on the drum in order tomaintain the cards in desired parallel relation, partition or stopmembers 39 are inserted at intervals in the recess around the annular're.

cess 31. A typicalpartition member comprises a generally rectangularshaped plate having outwardly extending tongues 40 and 4I.

cess 31, the tongues 40 and 4I register with and extend into suitableindentations 42 and 43 in the side walls 33 and 34 respectively. Thepartition members may also be made of sheet metal or other suitablematerial but should be suilciently flexible to be flexed as indicated inFig. so as to permit their insertion into the recess 31, and tol permit,when the partition members take their normal at position, the tongues 40and 4I properly to seat in their respective grooves 42 and 43.

The cards 44, which are of stiff paper or card- -board and normally ofrectangular shape, are

of a width and height to removably t into the recess 31. It will beobserved that the upper arc of the drum I0, as shown clearly in Fig. 1,extends through tlie opening 23 in the top wall 2.2 of the frame andthus the cards at the top of the drum are exposed in a manner permittingready removal and replacement in the recess 31 with the inner edges ofthe cards adjacent the surface 30. t

belt. Such a modified form of roller is illustrated in Fig. 1l.

' face as shown in Fig. 3, the roller may have two flanged pulleys 6Iand 62 mounted on an axle 63-which may be mounted for rotation in a -A66 which in turn may be secured to the frame.

` When a lpartition member is in place in the annular re- When this typeof roller is used apair of narrow belts 6 1 and 68 are used instead ofthevsingle belt I3. This permitsa space between the belts.lConsequently, this form, using a pair of belts, permits of using cardswhich may have To prevent the cards 44 from falling out or away from thedrum when the drum I0 is rotated, there is provided an endless belt I3.The endless belt is trained over rollers I4, I5, I6 and I1, which are inturn mounted in brackets 45, 46, 41 and 48 secured to the frame II. maybe of canvas or other suitable flexible belt material and of a widthextending substantially across the width of the recess 31. It will beobserved that the endless belt is mounted in such fashion that its upperrun 49 lies adjacent the recess 31 and in an arc about the drum asubstantial part 0f which on either side is above the axis of rotationof the drum with the remainder of this run beneath the axis of the drum.Thus, when the drum is rotated about its axis the upper run 49 of theendless belt engages the outer edges of the cards 44 and travels withthe drum and also prevents the cards from falling out of the recess 31.I

In order to insure that the movable belt I3 remains taut when its upperrun 49 engages the Aouter edges of the cards, one of the rollers uponwhich the belt is mounted may be a floating roller constructed as shownin Figs. 3 and 4. It has yieldable means urging the roller in adirection to maintain the belt taut. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, theroller designated as I5a may be mounted to rotate upon its axle 50 inbearings in spaced arms 5I and 52. Arms 5I and 52 are xed to an axle 53which in turn is mounted for rotation in bearings in lugs 54 and 55,extending from the plate 56. The plate 56 may be secured to the frame inany suitable manner as by bolts 60. A helical spring 51 about the axle53 has one end 58 anchored to the axle. 'I'he A other end 59 of thespring restsagainst the plate The belt identification tabsl extendingfrom the outer edges of the cards; it being understood of course thatthe tabs are positioned on the cards so as'to travel between the beltswhen the drum is rotated.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the invention provides a no velcard filing device which is simple in construction and which iseconomical to make. It may be made in large sizes or in smaller deskmodels and for any size of cards.

It is not necessary to attach each card individually to the periphery ofthe drum. Any one card,

advantage for the reason that although the cards may be frequentlyhandled the cards need not be distorted or mutilated. Accordingly, cardsfiled in the device made according to the invention are kept in goodcondition for running and rerunning in automatic calculating ortabulating machines Where such machines are in use.

While a specic embodiment of the invention has been described toillustrate the invention, it will be understood that various changes,modifications, substitutions and omissions of parts may be made by thoseskilled in the art without departing from the lspirit of the inventionwhich is comprehended by the annexed claims.

What is claimed is:

l. In a device of the character described, a drum of generallycylindrical shape, a frame, means mounting said drum on said frame forrotation of said drum about its axis, radially extending memberspositioned circumferentially on said drum providing a recess in which tole cards with their inner edges adjacent the peripheral surface of saiddrum, stop members for said cards in said recess, a movable endlessbelt, means mounting said endless belt with one of its runs extendingbeneath the drum and adjacent to said recess, said belt serving toprevent cards in said recess from falling out when said drum is rotated.

2. A device for ling cards or the like which comprises a frame, acylindrical drum, means the drum about its axis, walls extendingradially from the axis of said drum in planes substantiallyperpendicular to said axis, said walls providing an annular recess forreceiving cards in a substantially radial position about the perphery ofsaid drum, partition members. for said cards in said recess, a movableendless belt, rollers mounted on said frame, said endless belt beingtrained over said rollers and having a run adjacent to and extendingaround a substantial portion of the circumference of said drum andbeneath its axis and serving to prevent cards in said recess fromfalling out when said drum is rotated upon its axis.

-3. A device for filing cards or the like which comprises a frame, acylindrical drum, means Instead of a single cylindrical surphery of saiddrum, members spaced about the periphery of said drum in said annularrecess serving as guides to maintain cards' led in said recess in spacedsubstantially radial relationship, an endless belt, rollers mounted onsaid frame, said endless belt being trained over said rollers and havingan upper run adjacent to and extending around a substantial portion ofthe circumference of said drum and beneath its axis and serving toprevent cards in said recess from falling out when said drum is rotatedupon its axis.

e. A device for ling cards or the like which comprises a frame, acylindrical drum, means mounting said drum on said frame for rotation ofthe drum about its axis, walls extending from the peripheral surface ofsaid drum radially from the axis of said drumv in planes substantiallyperpendicular to said axis, said walls providing an annular recess forreceiving cards in a radial position about the periphery pf said drum,stop members spaced around said drum in said annular recess, a movableendless belt, and rollers mounted on said frame abo've and below theaxis of said drum, said endless belt being trained over said rollerswith its upper run adjacent to and extending around a substantialportion of the cir,- cumference of said drum and beneath its axis andserving to prevent cards in said recess from falling out ,when said drumis rotated upon its axis, said stop members serving as guides to main- Atain cards iiled in said recess in substantially radial position withrespect to the axis of said .drum with their outer edges extending sub-,bers in said annular recess spaced at intervals around thecircumference of said drum, a movable endless belt, a pair of oppositelydisposed rollers mounted on said frame above the axis of means urgingsaid last mentioned vroller in a direction to maintain said belt taut.

6. A device for filing cards or the like which comprises a frame, acylindrical drum, .means mounting said drum on said frame for rotation-of the drum about its axis, annular walls extending radially from theperipheral surface of said drum. in planes lsubstantially perpendicularto said axis, said walls providing an annular recess for receivingcardsl in a radial position about the periphery of said drum, partitionmembers ind said recess spaced apart around the circumference of saiddrum, a pair of movable endless belts maintained in parallel spacedrelation, rollers mounted on said frame, said pair of endless beltsbeing trained over said rollers and having upper -runs adjacent toand-extending around a substantial portion of the circumference of saiddrum and beneath its axis and serving to prevent cards in said recessfrom falling out when said drum is rotated upon its axis. l

' 7. A device for ling cards or the like which comprises a lframe, acylindrical drum, means mounting said drum on -said frame for rotationof the drum about its axis, annular walls extending radially from theperipheral surface of said drum in planes substantially perpendicular t0saidy axis, said walls providing an annular recess for receiving cardsin a radial position about the periphery of said drum, partition membersin said recess spaced apart around .the circumference of said drum, apair of movable endless belts maintained in parallel spaced relation andeach of said belts having an upper run, rollers mounted on said frame,said pair of endless belts being .trained over said rollers with theirupper runs adjacent to and extending around a substantial,

portion of the circumference of said drum and beneath its axis andserving to prevent cards in said recess from falling out when said drumis rotated upon its axis, and yieldable means normally urging said beltsin a direction tokeep them taut.

8. In a device of the character described, a drum of generallycylindrical shape, a frame, l

means mounting said drum on said frame for rotation'cf said drum aboutits axis, radially' extending members mounted circumferentially onsaidldrum providing a recess in which to le cards with their inner edgesadjacent the peripheral surface of said drum, a plurality of partitionmembers spaced about said drum in said recess tending members positionedcircumferentially on esl Y Number said drum providing a recess, aplurality of partition members in said recess spaced :about said drumforming a plurality of compartments on said,drum within, which to lecards, a movable endless belt, means mounting said endless belt withione of its runs extending beneath the drum and adjacent compartmentsformed by said partition members.

REFERENCES CITED .'UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Data 994,916 Francis June13, 1911 1,475,555

Sargeant-l..- Nov. 27, 1923 The following references are of record in.the ille of this patent:

